1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an apparatus for the production of bicomponent filaments, and more particularly to an improved extrusion pack for producing large numbers of sheath-core filaments per unit area.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Filaments consisting of two or more components are well known in the art and are generally produced by coextruding the different components from extrusion packs having internal stream splitting and conjugating channels. Providing a network of channels in an extrustion pack for bicomponent spinning results in an apparatus that has a substantially lower production rate than a pack used for conventional single component spinning. This is attributed to fewer extrusion holes per unit area in bicomponent spinning packs than are provided in conventional packs. Providing an accurately machined extrusion pack that has stream splitting channels and conjugating passageways for forming the bicomponent filaments has resulted in slow, inefficient production rates. Filament density of sheath-core filaments as measured by the number of filaments extruded per unit area of extrusion pack is substantially lower than the filament density of single component filaments.